Open House London

Open House London is an annual festival celebrating the architecture and urban landscape of London. It is staged by the charity Open City which campaigns to make London a more accessible, equitable and open city.[1] During the Open House festival, many buildings considered to be of architectural significance open their doors for free public tours.

Visitors to 30 St Mary Axe, also known as "the Gherkin", one of the weekend's most popular venues

The Open House festival usually starts on the third weekend of September. The 2019 event featured over 800 buildings, neighbourhood walks, architects' talks, cycle tours, and more.[2] Well-known buildings not usually open to the public which were open on Open House weekend in 2005, for example, included Marlborough House, Lancaster House, Mansion House, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and Horse Guards.

In a typical year, Open House Weekend attracts around 250,000 people.

Outside of the Open House festival, Open City organises other projects including year-round tours, lectures and educational events for children and young people.

Open House 2020 saw Londoners come together in a more diverse festival than ever, featuring models to make, films to watch, buildings to visit, podcasts to listen to, a book to read, and events to attend both virtually and physically. Changes were made to ensure Open House was safe and comfortable in line with government guidelines.